Friction-clutch.



No.780,486. PATENTED JAN. 17, 1905'.

' R. M.. PHILLIPS.

. FRICTION CLUTCH.

'. APPLICATION rum) AUG. 24. 1903. RENEWED npv. 28.19.04.

4 sums-sum 1.

at tmmu PATENTED JAN. 17, 1905. I

.R we T MU LL IO N O H .m RR I APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24. 1903. RENEWEDNOV. 28.1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 780,486. PATENTED JAN-17, 1905. R. M. PHILLIPS.

, FRICTION CLUTCH.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 24, 1903. RENEWED NOV. 28.1904.

4 SHEETSSHBET 3.

PATENTED JAN. 17, 1905.

R. M. PHILLIPS.

FRICTION CLUTCH. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24. 1963. RENEWED NOV. 28,1904.

4 SHEETS-8HEET 4.

section.

UNITED STATES Patented January 1'7, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH M. PHILLIPS, OF J AMESTOWN, NEW' YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS HENRYSMITH, OF J AMESTOIVN NEW YORK.

FRICTION-CLUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 780,486, dated January17, 1905. Application filed August 24, 1903. Renewed November 28, 1904.Serial No. 234.544.

To all whom, it may concern.-

. Be it known that I, RALPH M. PHILLIPS, a citizen of the United States,residing at J amestown, in the county of Chautauqua and State of NewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements'in Friction-Clutches, ofwhich the following, taken in connection with the acthe wedges and ways;second, to provide ways for the wedges on the central plate whereby alltendency to sidewise movement is taken from the screws; third, toprovide a simple and effective starting device for the worm which willnot be inoperative when the parts are out of line, and to otherwisesimplify and perfect the general construction of the clutch.

In the drawings, Figurel isa side elevation showing the front of myimproved clutchwith starting-lever and brake. Fig. 2 is an elevationfrom the upper side of the worm, faceplate, and starting and stoppingmechanism, the face-plate and lever being in section and the brake-bandbroken away. Fig. 3 i'sa plan View of the expanding mechanism of theclutch with the face-plate,worm, and one of the withdrawing-springsremoved. Fig. 4 is a detail view of my roller-wedge endwise of the screwwith the screw and a portion of the track in Fig. 5 is a side elevationof my rollerwedge with screws broken away. Fig. 6 is a side elevation ofthe block for holding the rollers of the wedge with the screw brokenaway. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the shell, worm, and startingmechanism and an elevation of the remaining inner parts of the clutchwith the friction-block removed. Fig. 8 is an elevation of the innerside of the starting clamping-ring and the inner end of worm, showingthe method of attaching the ring to the worm. Fig. 9 is a detail patternof clamping-ring. Fig. 10 is a plan view of the expanding mechanism,showing a modification adapting my former solid wedges to my presentconstruction. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the disk-shaped centralplate, part of the plate being brokenaway to show the bearing for thescrew and worm-gear. Fig. 12 is a plan view'of the inner edge of one ofthe segmental friction-blocks.

Similar numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.

The driving-train of my clutch is composed of the power or driving shaft10 and the shell 11, with itsface-plate 12. The hub of the shell 11 issecured on the end of the drivingshaft 10 by a suitable key in key-seat13, and shell 11 always revolves with shaft 10. Faceplate'l2 issecured-to the rim of shell 11 by suitable screw-bolts 14 in the jointbetween the plate and the rim, thus locking the faceplate from turningand securing it at the same time. I

The driven train of the clutch is composed of a disk-shaped centralplate 15, the driven shaft 16, and the expanding mechanism. The centralplate 15 is a heavy disk supported upon the end of the driven shaft 16by a suitable hub 17 on one side of the plate, the hub being fastened tothe shaft'by a key in key-seat 18 in order that plate 15 may turn theshaft. The adjacent ends of the driving and driven shafts usually abutupon the line of the inner end of the hub of shell 11 and the end of hub17 The front side of central plate 15 is formed with openings 19 andbearing 20 for worm-gears 21 and right-and-left screws 22. Plate 15 alsohas broad dovetail-shaped projections 23 for interlocking withlike-shaped openings 24 in segmental friction-blocks 25, thussimultaneously guiding and holding the blocks in position as they aremoved out and in radially by the expanding mechanism. Plate 15 has alsothe projections 26 between the screws 22 for supporting the screws 22blocks are given angles of incline which converge toward their outerends, as in my former construction.

My roller-wedges are formed to overcome the friction from the slidingContact of the parts and are made with a central block 30, which has athreaded opening therein for the screw 22. On opposite sides of theblock are the U-shaped crosswise grooves 31, which are deeper than theshaft usually works and serve as a guide for the connecting-shafts ofrollers 32. The rollers 32 and connecting-shaft 33 are usually made ofone piece, with a roller at each end connected by shaft 33, which shaftworks. in opening 31. The rollers 32 are placed in crosswise grooves 31on opposite sides of block 30 and are of such a size as to bear on eachother, as shown in Fig. 4, and also on incline 29 and straight way 28 oneither side, the block 30 being loose, or so that it can be moved backand forth, on account of the deep grooves 31 while the rollers 32 arebearing the load. This arrangement prevents all sidewise binding of theblock. It is apparent, however, that rollers 32 would bind on the blockwhile being pressed out between a straight and an inclined way if therollers were directly opposite one another. Accordingly the rollers areplaced at a compensating angle by making grooves 31 slightly out ofline, as shown in Fig. 6. This compensating angle is attained by placingthe rollers so that a diametral line drawn through the rollers will cuta line at right angles which is drawn at one-half the angle of inclines29. For example, if the angle of incline 29 were seven degrees the angleof the line drawn through the rollers would be three and one-halfdegrees. This arrangement of the rollers on block 30 compensates for thedifference between the straight and inclined ways between which therollers are forced out. Grooves 34 are cut lengthwise of the edges 28 ofprojections 26 for the rollers 32 to work in, and there by hold thewedges 27 in line as they work back and forth in expanding the clutch.My roller-wedges not only do away with the frictional contact of theparts in making the expansion, but also make it unnecessary to providewedges of different angles corresponding to the different angles ofincline 29 to expedite or retard the speed of contact in differentclutches, for it is apparent that by altering the angle of incline ofthe inner edges 29 of the friction-blocks I can change the speed withwhich my clutch can be thrown in and out of contact and one size of myimproved roller-wedges will act upon any angle of incline.

Friction-blocks 25 have a groove 36 cut on their outer surface, whichforms a slot when the frictional material 37 is attached to the outerside of block 25. A strip 38 of bandsteel is inserted through slot 36,which strip has holes 39 in each end to receive returningspring 40, asshown in Figs. 3 and 10. The withdrawing-springs 40 being placed at eachend of the friction-blocks and by means of the bands 36, they form anindependent withdrawing means for holding the blocks 25 out of contactwith the revolving shell 11 when the clutch is out of action. Thismethod of attaching the returning-springs is much easier and simplerthan my former method and works with absolute surety. The straps 38 arenot readily broken, and they adjust themselves to the expansion of theclutch mechanism with perfect uniformity. The grooves 36 are easily cuton the blocks, and I thus have a much simpler, cheaper, and better meansof withdrawing friction-blocks 25.

As in my former construction, I. make use of a worm for operating theexpanding mechanism through worm-gears 21 and right-andleft screws 22operating wedges 27 against friction-blocks 25. \Vorm 45 has thesectional flanges or wings 46 and the flanged rim 47 on its outer end.\Vorm 45 is mounted directly upon the driven shaft 16 and is held inplace at its outer end by means of a set-collar 48 on shaft 16.

Face 41 of face-plate 12 is made flat to receive the clamping ring orplate 42, the adjacent side of which ring is made correspondingly flatand has frictional material 43 attached thereto in order that frictionalcontact may be easily made between the two faces when they are pressedtogether by the draw of the worm. This frictional covering may be ofleather, wood fiber, or any suitable ma terial. The flat clamping-plate42 has wings 44, as shown in Fig. 9,which project inwardly, and the worm45 has the sectional flange projection or wings 46, as shown in Fig. 8,which fit the openings between wings 44 on clamping-ring 42. Accordinglyring 42 can be entered to its normal position between flanges 46 andflange-rim 47 on worm 45 by inserting the inner end of the worm throughring 42 until wings 44 pass through the openings between flanges 46,after which ring 42 may he turned until the wings 44 and sectionalflanges 46 intersect. A fixed pin 49 is then inserted in flange 47,which projects loosely in a hole in one of the wings 44 of ring 42. Thislooseness of pin 49 in ring 42 allows the ring a certain amount of playin order to accommodate the movement of the parts when they get out ofline. Flange-rim 47 has small circular openings 50 therein to receivecoil-springs 51, which bear against plate 42 and press plate 42 againstthe face-plate, thus causing it to always hug the face 41 of therevolving shell when in action even when the parts are out of line. Thegrip of the clutch is thus always preserved, which will be recognized asan essential feature of a clutch. This loose mounting of ring 42 on worm45 has caused it to sometimes be called a wabble-platc.

To start and stop my clutch, I employ a IIO starting-lever 52, which hasattached thereto a brake-band 53, which encircles flange 47 of worm 45,and. has suitable frictional material 54 on the inside of brake-band 53.At the same point where band 53 is attached to the lever 52 I attach ashort bar 55, and to the outer end of this a roller 56 is mounted atright angles to the bar 55, so as to project over the outer edge offlange 47. Lever 52 is pivotally hung from an angle-piece 57 at 58, asshown in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 10 and 11 I have shown a modification of this constructionadapting the solid wedges of my former construction to my presentarrangement with projections 26. It is apparent that my former solidwedges are easily adapted to this construction. I give the edges 28 ofprojections 26 adjacent to the wedges 27 an undercut, as shown in'Fig.11, so that the wedges are held in line as they work back and forth inoperating the clutch. The solid projections 26 on central plate 15present a broad flat surface, upon which the load is carried, obviatingall wear, binding, or breakage of the parts.

I have constructed my present arrangement of the parts with the aim ofdoing away with all bolts and also to simplify the parts as much aspossible. The bearin gs for screws 22 are placed at just thecorr'ectdistance from the shaft, so that in assembling the clutch theworm-gears are placed close to the shaft and after beingraised into thebearings 20 are turned, drawing the wedges in until they are exactly'thesame distance apart and also the same distance from the ends of thegears, which places them in true working position.

I will now describe the operation of my clutch. When the operator wishesto start the clutch, he pushes the lever 52 in toward the face of theclutch, causing roller 56 to have contact with the outer edge offlangerim 47, and thus push the worm inward,

thereby causing wabble plate '42 to touch face 41 of the revolvingshell. This touching of plate 42 and the revolving shell causes plate 42and the attached worm 45 to turn, thereby turning the worm into theresisting-gears 21 and turning the right-and-left screws 22, pushing outthe wedges 27. As soon as the worm starts and begins to turn the gearsan interdraw is established between gears 21-011 the worm and plate 42on the revolving shell, caused by the worm turning into the gears.Accordingly the turning of the worm in the resisting-gears by its drawforces the plate 42 into sufficiently strong contact with face 41 of theshell to operate the other parts, and thereby carry the load. This onaccount of the swiftly-revolving shell takes but a moment. The worm 45turns theworm-gears 21 and right-and-left screws 22, pushing out wedges27 between ways 28 on the central plate and inclines 29 on the frictionsegments or blocks 25 until a complete frictional contact is madebetween segments 25 "and revolving shell 11. This frictional grip ofsegments 25 on shell 11 is that which really carries the load, the drawof the wabble-plate on the shell by the worm and gears automaticallyoperating the screws and wedgesand forcing out the segments. On theother hand, it is the resistance of the load on the segments which iscommunicated through the wedges and screws to the gears, and therebyincreases the contact or grip of the plate 42 on the shell by increasingthe draw of the worm on the gears. It is apparent that ring-plate 42 isdrawn into complete frictional contact or grip by the worm after it isput in touch by the lever. It is an impossibility to attain the saidcomplete frictional contact by pressure on the lever 52 without the drawof the worm. I therefore mean two quite different operations when Ispeak of putting plate 42 in touch with the shell and when I speak ofits being drawn into complete frictional contact by the worm. It isobvious, therefore, that the action of the clutch becomes entirelyautomatic when the wabble-plate is'put into touch with shell 11. Thuswhen carrying a load and additions aremade to the load, whereby it wouldnaturally slip, the interaction of the parts causes the clutch to windup automatically and carry the increased load, the strength of thecontact of the plate increasing with the load. If it is desired to havethe clutch slip at a given point in its carrying power, plate 42 is putin touch with the shell, and the clutch winds up to the desired point.Plate 42 is then put out of touch with the shell, and the clutch willthen stand at that point in its carrying power and will slip under addedstrain. This interdraw of the worm and worm-gears on the wabble-plateand shell normally keeps them incontact. The springs 50 are only tocause ring 42 to hug face 41 when the shafts are out of line, and thusalways preserve the grip of the clutch. In order to release the clutch,lever 52 is pushed to the left, as shown in Fig. 1, so that band 53clamps flange 47 of the worm and holds the worm stationary, instantlybreaking the contact between plate 42 and face 41. The stationary wormis pushed back by the unwinding of the other parts until stopped byset-collar 48, which setcollar is placed far enough from face-plate 12to allow plate 42 to break contact with face 41 of the revolving shell,and when once the contact is broken the ring is held away from face41vby flanges 46 on the worm. The momentum of the other parts of theexpanding mechanism revolving around the stationary worm will quicklyunwind the gears and screws running in the wedges, and thewithdrawing-springs 40 will draw in the frictionblocks and breakthecontact with the revolving rim. This entirely separates the driving anddriven trains and stops the clutch. I

It is apparent that my roller-wedges can be &

used on the clutch construction shown in my former patents or in anyplace where wedge expansion is needed.

I claim as new 1. In a friction-clutch having a revoluble drivingmember, a driven member having means for gripping said driving member,connectin g and disconnecting means for said members consisting of awabble-plate mounted on the driven member to be drawn into frictionalcontact with said driving member, and means for putting said plate inand out of touch with said driving member.

2. In a friction-clutch having a revoluble driving member, a drivenmember having means for gripping said driving member, connecting anddisconnecting means for said members consisting of a wa-bble-platemounted on the driven member to be drawn into frietional contact withsaid driving member, spring-pressure on said wabble-plate to insure saidcontact, and means for putting said plate in and out of touch with saiddriving member.

3. In a friction-clutch, a driving member consisting of a revolubleshell, a driven member composed of a worm, and mechanism expanded bysaid worm to grip said shell, connecting and disconnecting means forsaid worm and shell consisting of a plate loosely mounted on said wormto be drawn. thereby into complete frictional contact with said shell,putting said plate in and out of touch with said shell.

4. In a friction-clutch, a driving member consisting of a revolubleshell, a driven member composed of a worm, and mechanism expanded bysaid worm to grip said shell, connecting means for said worm and shellconsisting of a plate loosely mounted on said. worm, connection for saidplate with said worm whereby said shell and plate are caused to make andbreak contact by the movement of said worm, and means for moving saidworm.

5. In a friction-clutch a driving member consisting of a revolubleshell, a driven member composed of a worm and mechanism expanded by saidworm to grip said shell, connecting and disconnecting means for saidworm and shell consisting of a flat ring mounted on said worm to turntherewith and be drawn into frictional contact with said shell,springpressure on said ring to insure said contact, and projections onsaid worm to break said contact of said flat ring and hold it out oftouch with said shell when the worm is pushed outward.

6. 'In a friction-clutch, a driving-train consisting of a revolubleshell, a driven train composed of a worm, worm-gears, screws,

wedges, segmental friction-blocks and with drawing-springs arranged tobe expanded by said worm and engage said shell, a spring wabble-platemounted on said worm to thereby be drawn into and pushed out offrictional contact with said shell and a starting and stopping leverhaving a brake-band and a starting-roller to throw said worm into andout of action.

7 In a friction-clutch having members to be expanded, wedges for saidexpansion composed of, a central block with cross-grooves therein onopposite sides, rollers mounted in said grooves having a bearing on oneanother, and means for actuating said wedges. 8. Inafriction-clutehhaving members with inclined and straight ways thereon, wedges workingon said ways composed of, a central block with cross-grooves therein,reciprocallybearing rollers mounted in said blocks between said ways ata compensating angle, and means for actuating said wedges.

9. In a friction-clutch having members to be expanded, wedges composedof a central guide-block with cross-grooves therein, shafts with aroller at each end having reciprocal bearing on each side of saidcentral block and mounted in said cross-grooves, and means for actuatingsaid wedges between said members.

10. In a friction-clutch having drivingand driven members, the drivenmember having inclined ways, and wedges working on said ways, saidwedges composed of a block and rolls on said block, screws working insaid blocks, worm-gears on said screws, a worm, and means for turningsaid worm.

11. In a friction-clutch having driving and driven members, the drivenmember having segmental friction-blocks with inclined ways thereon, acentral plate having ways thereon opposite to said inclines, wedgesworking between said ways and inclines, and means for moving saidwedges.

12. In a friction-clutch having driving and driven members, the drivenmember having segmental friction-blocks with inclined ways thereon, acentral plate having ways thereon opposite to the said inclines, wedgesworking between said ways and inclines, said wedges composed of acentral block, reciprocally-bearing rollers revolubly mounted onopposite sides of said block, grooves on said ways to keep said rollersin line, and means for actuating said wedges.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

RALPH M. PHILLIPS.

In presence oi S. A. BALDWIN, A. L. FURLow.

